1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to anchors and more particularly to a claw type anchor having an outer shell formed of molded plastic material designed to withstand loads imposed between an anchor line attached to a stem and a claw or fluke of the anchor engaged with a bottom surface under water.
2. Prior Art
Presently existing types of claw anchors have numerous problems including high material and manufacturing costs, sloppy appearance, rough edges and high vulnerability to rust and/or corrosion. Some of the anchors presently available are provided with plastic coatings which wear poorly and tend to retain extra moisture which promotes corrosion and marine growth making the anchor slippery and hard to handle, easier to drop and in general, difficult to use effectively.
Some of the plastic coating materials utilized on presently available anchors tend to smooth out or round off and radius the edges of hooks or claws, but these edges should be relatively sharp so that the anchor claws will bite or dig in more effectively. In addition, many anchors presently available have rough edges and lack support in the eye area of the stem, which tends to abraid and cause anchor lines to fail prematurely.
U.S. Pat. Nos. D. 191,726; D. 256,578; 2,522,191; 3,158,127 and 3,402,689 disclose various designs of small boat anchoring devices. A portable small boat anchor sold under the trademark SUPER SINKER is manufactured and offered for sale by Berkley & Company, Inc. of Spirit Lake, Iowa and this anchor (shown in U.S. Pat. No. Des. 256,578) provides a storage capability for holding 50 feet of anchor line wrapped around a drum-like lower section thereof.